The present invention relates in general to a gutter system, and more particularly, to such a gutter system adapted for channeling a fluid around a portion of a boundary of a confined area defined by the perimeter of a floor and an adjoining wall, such as in a basement where ground water seepage through hydrostatic pressure is present, thereby waterproofing the confined area.
Homes and small buildings often have their basements constructed from poured concrete walls or cement block walls. In either case, cracks frequently develop which extend from the upper part of the wall down to the adjoining floor. These cracks seep water in order to relieve the hydrostatic pressure created around the basement walls. As a result, various techniques and devices have been employed to waterproof basements under these conditions.
One such system uses hollow baseboard sections extending around the perimeter of the floor adjacent the wall. The baseboard sections are adhesively bonded to the floor and provided with a plurality of openings facing the wall for receiving water seeping into the basement. The water, once collected in the baseboard sections, can be channeled to a floor drain or sump pump for removal. This system requires that the baseboard sections be individually cut into their required lengths, which are joined together by specially designed butt-joint connectors. These connectors, although forming a water-tight joint, do not possess the mechanical strength necessary to withstand any moderate force which may be accidently applied when utilizing the baseboard sections. In addition, the necessity of having to cut the baseboard sections into varied lengths, if not performed accurately, can result in the inability to utilize these baseboard sections in installing the gutter system. Further, the holes provided in the baseboard sections to collect water, can become clogged with debris and the like, thereby precluding the efficient collection of water by the gutter system.